Lee Kang-in has just won a major individual trophy. This Thursday, October 16, during the AFC Awards ceremony in Riyadh, the South Korean midfielder received a distinction that surprised more than one. For a player who spends most of his time on the PSG bench, the announcement is enough to raise eyebrows. Fifty matches in all competitions last year, seven goals, six assists. Honest figures, but not flamboyant. So why him? Why now? The answer lies between the lines of a historic season and a remarkable continental journey.
Lee Kang-in crowned best Asian player: the surprise of the year
Lee Kang-in was voted best Asian international player of the year 2025, ahead of Iranian Mehdi Taremi and Japanese Takefusa Kubo. A first for him, a first also for PSG, which becomes the first club to see one of its players win this trophy. Surprising? Yes. Totally illogical? No. Because behind this award lies an XXL track record: French champion, winner of the Coupe de France, the Champions Trophy and above all, European champion with PSG. An extremely rare feat for an Asian player.
Lee Kang-in may not have been an indisputable starter, but he scored points at the right times. Against Tottenham in the UEFA Super Cup on August 13, it was he who allowed PSG to return to the match with the first Parisian goal. An achievement which paved the way for a new trophy. In the Champions League, he was part of the group that lifted the cup. A historic achievement: only Park Ji-sung, in 2008 with Manchester United, had achieved this feat for a South Korean.
Son Heung-min in the rearview mirror
This distinction also overshadows Son Heung-min, his teammate in the selection, quadruple winner of this trophy in the past. Lee Kang-in helped South Korea qualify for the 2026 World Cup with five goals and six assists in the qualifiers. Statistics that weighed in the balance. But we can't help but think that there are probably other Asian players, playing on the continent or elsewhere, who would have deserved this recognition.
The fact remains that Lee Kang-in knew how to be in the right place at the right time. European champion, scorer in the Super Cup, qualified for the World Cup with Korea. On paper, it holds up. But in reality, this reward raises questions. A luxury player who wins an individual trophy without being a starter. This is the game of modern football: sometimes, the collective record wins over individual performances.
